Animal litter

Abstract

An animal litter consists of wood particles and wood shavings and baking soda. The wood particles and wood shavings are selected from the group consisting of pine and aspen, to thereby provide a litter with optimal absorbency and odor control characteristics.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to the field of animal litters, and particularly to litter formed of wood and sodium bicarbonate. The absorbent litter material is characterized by a pleasant odor, durability, good absorption, and is especially suitable for use as a small animal litter, which effectively absorbs animal waste materials and neutralizes associated unpleasant odors.The control of pet urine odors is a chronic challenge for those who keep pets on litter, and especially when the litter is maintained in an indoor location. A variety of litter materials have been used, each with somewhat different characteristics, such as greater moisture absorption, comfort for the animal, and odor control by suppression, masking or elimination. Examples of past efforts to control odor include the use of wood shavings, such as white pine shavings, and by use of litter, which clumps upon exposure to moisture, and which urine soaked clumps can then be removed, le...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Thus, because of the above less-than-ideal characteristics, which are common in known small animal litter mixtures, it is among the objects of the present invention to provide an absorbent material which is useful as an animal litter particularly well-suited for small household pets, which is simple to prepare, and thus relatively inexpensive, while also being highly absorbent of both liquids and odors and having an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

It has been discovered that a particular mixture of certain known substances results in a litter which, while useful for large animals as well, is surprisingly well-suited for use with small animals, such as the type often considered for household pets, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, monkeys, mice, gerbils, birds, hamsters, etc. The presently conceived small animal litter is a mixture of wood chips, shavings or the like (particularly yellow pine which has been dyed green in color), and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). This particular blend of ingredients has a pleasing natural appearance and is lightweight, and highly absorbent of odors and fluids. This ability to absorb fluids and odors is particularly high as a relative ratio of fluids and odors per weight unit of the new litter mixture, when compared to known litters.

This advantage of the new litter is attainable, in large part, because of the use of wood and even more especially because of the use of barkless wood, which is unusually lightweight. Thus, the new litter mixture is more pleasant to have in a home environment for use with pets, particularly when the person caring for the animal happens to be a small child or an elderly or other individual who cannot readily lift heavy containers of known pet litters.

Thus, there is a continuing need for animal litters that provide improved control of animal urine odors emanating from the litter. The new litter must be relatively facile to manufacture and use and should also be reasonably priced. Accordingly, it is among the objects of the present invention to provide an inexpensive and easy to manufacture and use pet litter.

Problems solved by technology

The control of pet urine odors is a chronic challenge for those who keep pets on litter, and especially when the litter is maintained in an indoor location.

Although such litters are suitable for use as horticultural mulch, the inclusion of the tree bark causes an appearance which is considered to be unsightly when the material is used as a litter, and particularly a litter for small animals, such as those which would be kept in a person's home, or for use in places of display, such as pet shops.

However, the process of pelletization is complex and thus expensive.

Aspen is especially difficult to pelletize, because it is a hard, dry wood which exacts a toll on the extruding equipment used for the pelletizing process, by causing greater amounts of wear on the equipment parts, resulting in the expense of frequent maintenance and replacement.